The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society has begun issuing guidance to owners and breeders on approaching tariffs on goods shipped to the United States, which, if implemented, would affect the travel of Thoroughbreds across the border, meaning an immediate impact on the ongoing breeding season. President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs have been tabled until April 2. The North American breeding season, which began in February, runs until June. Many Canadian-based mares are bred to Kentucky stallions before returning home to deliver a registered Canadian-bred foal. For example, the top three finishers in last year’s King’s Plate, the most famed race for Canadian-breds, were all Ontario-born runners by Kentucky sires – Caitlinhergrtness, by Omaha Beach; My Boy Prince, by Cairo Prince; and Midnight Mascot, by Army Mule. According to documentation the CTHS sought from the Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and its border broker network to clarify the impact on the Thoroughbred industry, if the mare was born in the United States – a Kentucky-bred mare who now resides in Canada to deliver Canadian-bred foals – a tariff will not apply. If the mare was born in Canada or another country, however, a 25 percent tariff on her value will apply and must be paid upon entry to the United States. A temporary entry permit is available that covers 30 days from the date of border crossing. This requires cash to secure a bond equal to the tariff value; if the mare returns to Canada within 30 days, the owner can request a refund of the bond with proof of re-entry. Mares are typically scanned for pregnancy about 14 days after being bred to a stallion. If the mare does not become pregnant on the first cover, or if the timeline is extended by circumstances such as shipping illness, the 30-day deadline would come into play. Shipping a mare to be bred with a Canadian-born foal at foot adds to the logistics and expense, as the foal also would require a separate 30-day permit and be subject to the 25 percent tariff. If owners elect not to ship Canadian mares to be bred to U.S. stallions, this could cause an economic ripple effect for farms that would typically board them, stallions who would have them in their books, and other industry outlets. “This will most definitely affect the 2025 breeding season,” prominent Canadian owner David Anderson wrote on social media. “This is real and will cripple the Canadian industry and cost the U.S. stallion farms, sales companies, and boarding farms tens of millions.” Canada is expected to implement retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. While the initial round of proposed tariffs did not apply to breeding and racing stock, it is likely that future rounds would, in order to mirror U.S. policies. A 21-day public comment period is under way for these proposed countermeasures, and the CTHS urged industry stakeholders to submit feedback. “At this time, we do not have definitive confirmation of the full implications of these tariffs for the Thoroughbred industry,” the CTHS wrote in an open letter issuing guidance. “The CTHS will remain in close contact with industry stakeholders and government representatives to obtain the most accurate and up-to-date information. The CTHS strongly advises all members crossing the border to utilize the services of a professional commercial carrier or a U.S. Customs broker to ensure compliance with regulations and facilitate a smooth entry process. We recognize the financial and logistical challenges these tariffs may impose and will continue to provide updates as more concrete details become available.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.